Social Security application confusion - selecting start month when turning 65 in June

It depends on what you want. Social Security benefits are paid for the previous month, so if you select June as your start month, you'd receive that payment in July. If you select July, you'd get that payment in August. Just be aware that if you're not at your Full Retirement Age (FRA) yet, starting at 65 means you're taking benefits early with a permanent reduction. Most people born after 1960 have an FRA of 67, not 65.

my mom just did this last yr and she put the month AFTER her bday cause thats what the lady at ssa told her when she called

The confusion is understandable. Here's the technical explanation: Social Security benefits are paid in the month following the month for which they are due. Your first benefit would be for the first full month you're eligible. If your birthday is on the 28th of June, you would not be eligible for a benefit for June because you weren't 65 for the entire month. So in your case, July would typically be the first month you'd be eligible for benefits, which would be paid in August. However, be aware that 65 is not Full Retirement Age (FRA) for Social Security retirement benefits anymore. Depending on your birth year, your FRA is likely between 66 and 67. Taking benefits at 65 means you're taking them early, which results in a permanent reduction. Also, if you're still working, the earnings test may apply until you reach FRA, potentially reducing your benefits if you earn above certain thresholds.

If you were born in 1960 or later, taking benefits at 65 means you're taking them 24 months before your FRA of 67. This results in approximately a 13.3% permanent reduction in your monthly benefit amount. For example, if your benefit at FRA would be $2,000, taking it at 65 would reduce it to about $1,734 per month for life. Also important: Medicare eligibility still starts at 65, but that's separate from your Social Security retirement benefits. You can enroll in Medicare at 65 even if you delay your Social Security benefits until later.

I just went thru this EXACT same situation!!! It was SO FRUSTRATING trying to figure out and no one at SSA would answer the phone!!!! I ended up putting July (month after my birthday) because my bday was on the 15th. But I had to call them like 50 times before I got someone to confirm this was right. The whole system is BROKEN!!!!!

wait a sec, turning 65 has nothing to do with ss retirement! that's just for medicare. your ss full retirement age depends on when u were born. my sister took hers at 62 and got way less than waiting would have given her.

My husband did his online application last year and got so confused he just gave up and went to the local office. waited 2 hours but at least got it right the first time!

I went through this same process recently and here's what I learned the hard way: if your birthday is June 28th, you should select July as your start month because Social Security requires you to be 65 for the entire month to receive benefits for that month. Since you won't be 65 until the 28th of June, you're not eligible for June benefits. However, I'd strongly recommend reconsidering taking benefits at 65 at all. Like others mentioned, if you were born in 1960 or later, your Full Retirement Age is 67, not 65. Taking benefits 2 years early results in about a 13% permanent reduction. That's a significant amount of money you'll lose every month for the rest of your life. One option is to apply for Medicare only when you turn 65 (which you should definitely do) and delay Social Security until your FRA or even later. For every year you delay past FRA until age 70, you get about 8% more in benefits. The SSA website has a retirement estimator tool that can show you exactly how much you'd get at different ages - it's worth checking before you make this decision!

I work at a local SSA field office and see this confusion all the time! Since your birthday is June 28th, you'll want to select July as your start month. The rule is that you must be the eligible age for the entire month to receive benefits for that month. However, I really want to emphasize what others have said about the early retirement reduction. At 65, you're taking benefits 24 months before your Full Retirement Age of 67 (assuming you were born in 1960 or later). This means a permanent reduction of about 13.3% - that's roughly $267 less per month if your full benefit would be $2,000. Here's something that might help: you can actually withdraw your Social Security application within 12 months of filing if you change your mind, but you'd have to pay back any benefits received. Many people don't know this option exists. Also, don't forget to enroll in Medicare during your Initial Enrollment Period (3 months before your 65th birthday through 3 months after) even if you decide to delay Social Security. Missing this window can result in permanent late enrollment penalties. The SSA.gov retirement estimator is definitely worth checking - it will show you the exact dollar impact of your decision based on your actual earnings record.

I went through this exact same confusion when I applied for Social Security last year! The good news is that you're asking the right questions before submitting your application. For your specific situation with a June 28th birthday, you'll want to select July as your start month. The rule is that you must be 65 for the entire month to be eligible for benefits that month, so since you don't turn 65 until the 28th, June wouldn't qualify. But honestly, after reading through all these responses, I think the more important question is whether you should be taking Social Security at 65 at all. I initially had the same plan, but when I learned that my Full Retirement Age was actually 67 (not 65), and that taking benefits early would mean a permanent 13% reduction, I decided to hold off. Here's what really helped me: I used the Social Security retirement estimator on SSA.gov to see the actual dollar differences. For me, waiting from 65 to 67 meant an extra $280 per month for life - that's over $3,300 more per year! The key insight I wish I'd known earlier is that Medicare and Social Security are completely separate. You can (and should) enroll in Medicare at 65 to avoid penalties, but you can delay Social Security until your FRA or even age 70 for maximum benefits. Take some time to run your numbers through that estimator tool - it might change your whole retirement strategy like it did mine!

I'm a Social Security claims specialist and I see this exact confusion every day! For your June 28th birthday, you absolutely need to select July as your start month. The rule is simple: you must be eligible age for the ENTIRE month to receive benefits for that month. But here's what's really important - please reconsider taking benefits at 65 at all. Since you were likely born in 1960 or later, your Full Retirement Age is 67, not 65. Taking benefits at 65 means accepting a permanent 13.33% reduction for your entire lifetime. On a $2000 monthly benefit, that's $267 less EVERY month forever. Here's what I always tell clients: Medicare and Social Security are completely separate programs. You SHOULD enroll in Medicare at 65 (during your Initial Enrollment Period from March-September) to avoid late penalties, but you can delay Social Security until 67 or even 70 for maximum benefits. Before you submit that application, please use the retirement estimator at ssa.gov - it will show you exactly how much you'll lose by taking benefits early. Many people are shocked when they see the actual dollar impact. You might find that waiting just 2 more years could mean thousands more per year for the rest of your life. Also, pro tip: if you do apply and change your mind within 12 months, you can withdraw your application (but you'd have to repay any benefits received). Better to get it right from the start though!